"Oh, December. That special time of year, when the masses try to buy their way out of SAD, supermarkets become more unbearable than usual thanks to seasonal saccharine soundtracks, and even the AMG promo bin transforms into a smoldering heap of nope. Some blind themselves to the solstice’s sadness with festive lights, others drown it in nog, but let me assure you: there will be no happiness."[Give in to your anger...]

"The little I know about Albuquerque, New Mexico comes from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. The last thing I’d expect to come to this dry and rift ridden desert landscape is frosty Scandinavian inspired melodic black metal. But, Void Ritual don’t play by the rules, like a unicorn entering a two-horned race." Rule breaker, horn faker.[Give in to your anger...]

"One of my favorite subjects in any form of media is the end of the world. There is an indescribable (and perhaps sadistic) pleasure I gain from witnessing people grapple with the prospect of the complete obliteration of their species and its history; the more micro the focus, the better. Zooming in on a select few and examining how they choose to spend their final, consequence-free hours feels like the purest hypothetical exploration of the human psyche." I'd rebroadcast NFL games without express written consent.[Give in to your anger...]

"How do you keep a genre fresh without turning it into something it’s not? This is a question I’ve been pondering for a while now. See, I’ve been a near-obsessive devotee of the whole atmospheric-blackened-folk metal shebang ever since I caught Winterfylleth as a support band back in about 2009. Unfortunately, after many years, countless foliage-themed album covers and a surfeit of unintelligible shrieks about Odin and mountains, the sub-subgenre is starting to feel a little stale, and thus my corresponding enthusiasm for new releases is beginning to wane accordingly." Kilts, hilts and glory.[Give in to your anger...]

"For black metal songwriters in search of strong conceptual themes, few subjects capture the imagination like the intricate folklore of European paganism. Not only are the old myths and traditions fascinating in their own right, the celebration of pre-Christian heritage is unequivocally akin to waving a big fat middle finger in the direction of modern religion – a practice firmly in line with the general ethos of the genre. Hailing from the town of Ahlen in western Germany, Heimdalls Wacht are one such band. Describing themselves rather extravagantly as ‘anti-Christian pagan musical art.'" Music art for the pagan soul.[Give in to your anger...]

"For those that have been with us for awhile now, you know that Winterfylleth doesn't get a lot of love around here. Though the "bashing" by AMG and Roquetin are minimal, the band's atmospheric, Viking (oops, Anglo-Saxon) black metal approach does cause droopy eyes in the AMG offices. And, unfortunately, my take on the band isn't far behind my predecessors'." We're a tough crowd.[Give in to your anger...]

"When John Haughm dissolved Agalloch earlier this year it left a giant gaping hole.. Their natural, organic take on black metal was a vibrant breath of fresh air in the often stagnant realm of black metal. In the wake of the band's demise, bands from across the world are tossing their home-grown influences in hopes of achieving the same level of influence." Umm... Hryre... you have a lot to live up to." Nature is back and it wants to touch you.[Give in to your anger...]

"Thrawsunblat is a bit more related to black metal than the last two Woods of Ypres records were, but the late David Gold’s influence is certainly felt here. It’s easy to hear some similarities to Ensiferum along with newer Winterfylleth, but there’s a very Canadian element that sets Thrawsunblat apart." The Woods live on....[Give in to your anger...]

"I was impressed by Colorado's Wayfarer on their debut. Their post-black metal was nuanced, densely textured and showed great maturity for a young band. I was eager to overlook the flaws since their base was sound, with such touchstones as Winterfylleth or Wildernessking. A year and a half later, Old Souls succeeds Children of the Iron Age in Wayfarer's discography...." And a much more jaded and cynical El Cuervo awaits.[Give in to your anger...]

"The way the English media tends to hype up their musicians is simultaneously cute and annoying. Whether it’s an indie rock group or, in this case, a black metal act, they never fail to hail almost every other band as “the next big thing.” Manchester’s black-metal-meets-paganism-and-folk quartet Winterfylleth had the luck (or misfortune) of being one such band." What's wrong with some homer press love for local bands? The overhyping, that's what![Give in to your anger...]